ATM Machines Aboard QM2

[HawkeyeTraveler]

I've been scouring the board postings and see no mention of ATM machines aboard the QM2. If there are none, is taking Traveler's Cheques the best option?

 

Thanks.

[2moose]

Cash, Checks, Credit Cards And Debit Cards Can All Be Handled By The Pursers Ofiice In Many Different Currencies. Cash Is NoT Used On The Ship.charges To Your Account Only!!! Enjoy

[HawkeyeTraveler]

Thanks. Sounds easy enough!

[LM1]

There is an ATM in the Casino and if you want to tip a bartender over and above the lousy tip that's included on your bar bill, they gladly accept cash. If you add an extra tip on the bar bill itself, it will get spread out among 70 bartenders. You have to actually hand them cash as a tip if you so choose. Oh, and if you so decide to tip the Maitre D, cabin steward, waiters or waitresses, etc., they like to be handed cash personally as they wont see it otherwise.

[HawkeyeTraveler]

Thanks, I appreciate the additional input. You've both been most helpful.

[elaine61]

There is an ATM in the Casino and if you want to tip a bartender over and above the lousy tip that's included on your bar bill, they gladly accept cash. If you add an extra tip on the bar bill itself, it will get spread out among 70 bartenders. You have to actually hand them cash as a tip if you so choose. Oh, and if you so decide to tip the Maitre D, cabin steward, waiters or waitresses, etc., they like to be handed cash personally as they wont see it otherwise.

 

Can you tell me. On QM2 they automatically charge you for gratuities. $11 per person per day!!! Can you opt to have this taken off your account and pay cabin steward/restaurant stewards personally yourself. We always go on P & O and fortunately they haven't started adding to your account yet!! Now it is all under the same umbrella (carnival) this may well change. But I do question whether the cabin steward will actually see his money!!!!! At least I know if I give it to him myself that he receives it and cunard shareholders don't!!

 

Elaine

[2moose]

Yes You Can Change The Prepay If You Like!!when I Did This On The Qm-2 They Would Not Give Me A Copy Of The Change Order On The Ship And It Took A Couple Of Phone Calls After Coming Home To Correct The Matter. In All I'm Sorry I Did This Since There Are Many People That Contribute To Services That We Dont See On Board Who Would Share In The Prepaid Tips. On Other Cruises I Did Both The Prepay And Additional Tips To Those That Gave Excellent Service. Not A Lot Of Money Even If You Do Both. Just one Mans Opinion. Best Regards Jim!!!

[nyca]

note that the one place you need cash is the casino - they will not take a room charge, or when they do, its in-effect a cash advance that charges a 3% fee. in fact, we prepaid against our room bill, and when we tried to convert the prepaid $$$s to cash for the casino - they wanted to charge us the 3%! they eventually dropped this and gave us the cash.

[elaine61]

2 moose/Nyca

 

2 moose, would you suggest we stick with pre pay then??

 

Nyca - we generally cruise out of Southampton with P & O cruises and discovered some time back that if you got casino chips against your account (which you have to register a credit/debit card with) and then didn't spend them you could transfer them back to cash. I don't believe there was any kind of charge for this!!!!! I presume that the currency on board QM2 on a transatlantic is US dollars?? Exchange rate in our favour at the moment!!!! Brochure states that $11 is equivalant to £7, but when I did an exchange rate on XE.com yesterday it was coming out at around £6!!

[2moose]

2 moose/Nyca

 

2 moose, would you suggest we stick with pre pay then??

 

Nyca - we generally cruise out of Southampton with P & O cruises and discovered some time back that if you got casino chips against your account (which you have to register a credit/debit card with) and then didn't spend them you could transfer them back to cash. I don't believe there was any kind of charge for this!!!!! I presume that the currency on board QM2 on a transatlantic is US dollars?? Exchange rate in our favour at the moment!!!! Brochure states that $11 is equivalant to £7, but when I did an exchange rate on XE.com yesterday it was coming out at around £6!!

Yes stay with the prepaid .The staff( i.e room steward waiters etc) know that you prepaid and you can still offer additional tips as you feel like..All the people behind the scenes that help make you voyage enjoyable share in the prepaid tips. bon voyage jim

[nyca]

that's what we did, stayed with prepaid tips and then supplemented. but according to our cabin steward, not alot of people supplemented.

[2moose]

No where else could you vacation with meals and services and pay $11.00 or $ 13.00 per day as gratuities!!!!

[Zipper25]

Hi, 2moose

On the lighter side of things - here in Australia the whole tipping thing is not at all the norm. You pay the price and that's it. Tipping is usually reserved for outstanding, 'extra mile' type of service. Visiting New York last Christmas for the first time was a real eye-opener for we two Aussies. Tipping was a real extra, unbudgeted cost on the trip. However, we are willing to go with the flow and adopt the "when in Rome" approach to things! Can't wait to start giving all that lovely money away! :)

[2moose]

i'm in total agreement with you!!!I think tipping should be abolished and the owners pay the help a good and fair wage!!! however if we don't tip the only ones that would get hurt are the ones that serve us well!!! NOT A GOOD SYSTEM..GADAY MATE!!!!